


Every Strand Worth Loving

by bi_leigh_bi



Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Affection, Hair care, M/M, Soft Love, Softness, joe’s curls deserve love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:27:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27127198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bi_leigh_bi/pseuds/bi_leigh_bi
Summary: Nicky loves Joe’s curls. Nicky loves Joe.
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Comments: 25
Kudos: 372





	Every Strand Worth Loving

Nicky took a deep breath and salt air filled his lungs.

If any place in the world felt like home it was Malta.

And... his Yusuf.

No, truly, there was no home for him other than Joe. No place in the world that could ever call to him or offer him such peace. Sometimes he thought about their beginning, the times they’d hurt one another and he felt an old, ancient shame and sorrow. And sometimes he could only laugh at the fool he’d been. How little he had known. 

But Malta was close. For them both. A place of good memories and rare peace.

He turned from the sea air and the sound of the ocean and the sight of the moon rising even as the sun still set. He turned to where Joe was leaving the bathroom, a towel low on his waist. Another lightly pressing at curls that had grown longer during their stay here. Not rubbing, never rubbing. Nicky smiled and went to him, taking the towel from Joe’s hands. 

”All the sand off?” he asked, teasing.

”All the sand off and out of places sand should not be,” Joe said, letting Nicky push at him until he was sitting on the bed. “When will we learn?” he asked, looking up at Nicky. His hands found Nicky’s waist, teased at the waist band of the sweats he had pulled on.

Nicky leaned down and kissed him sweetly. “Never, I hope. Not ever, my love.” 

“Never,” Joe agreed, kissing him again. 

”Let me,” he said, leaving Joe to go into the bathroom. 

He hung up the towel and grabbed a glass container from the counter. Joe smiled when he saw it. 

”I was going to go back in,” he said.

”I’ve no doubt,” Nicky hummed, sitting behind Joe. 

”I was,” Joe protested, laughing. “I could hardly skip tonight after the amount of sun and sand they were subjected to.”

”My fault, so let me make my amends.”

Joe gave him a look but nodded all the same. He didn’t bother getting dressed, only slid to the floor and settled himself between Nicky’s knees. Nicky unscrewed the top and dipped his fingers into the soft pomade. And carefully cultivated mix of oils and conditioners. This, right here, was Joe’s favorite. And sadly not something they always had on hand. He tapped Joe’s head and he tilted it back so Nicky could reach easier. Nicky could feel the way he relaxed even more at the first touch of Nicky’s fingers to his curls. 

After so many years he could have made quick work of this routine, had done so plenty of times when there was a rush. He knew it so well. The products had changed, Joe’s styles had changed, but at the end of the day, there was a familiarity to every version of this. Carefully working the ends first, untangling was he went without damaging the curls which might cause them to frizz.

All day they had been in the sun, and then later they had found their own secluded bit of beach and Joe had let Nicky seduce him. Had let him touch and kiss and hold and make love to him as he’d been wanting to all day. As he’d been wanting to every day since they got here, every single day.

It had been a while since they’d found themselves like this. So desperate for one another. Desperate to touch, to not be away from one another. But after what had happened... after nearly losing each other... Nicky could not help it. And he could not blame either of them for their ardor and their desperation. 

But that had been earlier. And their passions and the sun, the sand, had taken a toll on Joe’s curls. And now Nicky’s fingers worked gently through them, over them. Taking his time to make sure each one was silken and smooth, shining and hydrated as it should be. Joe made soft noises as he did, turning his head at Nicky’s direction, obedient and willing. So very trusting. 

”Do you remember the first time you asked to do this?” Joe asked, breaking the silence with his soft words. 

”You laughed at me,” Nicky said, twisting curls around his fingers very carefully. 

”I thought you were joking, but then your face was so serious. _Why should I not know how to care for you this way_ , you said. You take such good care of me, hayati. You always have. Now. Then. In that lab.”

Nicky let the curls fall from his fingers and instead began to gently massage Joe’s scalp. He earned himself a pleased groan. He didn’t want to think about the lab. About Merrick. About...

”You brought up Malta on purpose.” Nicky could hear the emotion in Joe’s voice. “You knew the memory would make me smile, make me forget, even if for a moment. I’m glad we came back.”

”I’m glad we were able to.” Truthfully? He hadn’t been sure they would. 

“I worried we would not,” Joe admitted. And Nicky could feel the weight of those words. 

”As did I,” he murmured, meeting Joe’s eyes as Joe tilted his head all the way back.

Joe sighed and pulled away, only to stand and sit beside Nicky on the bed. His hair was soft and gleaming, each curl seeming to have a life if it’s own. Much better now than dry and full of sand. 

”Nicely tussled?” he asked, and Nicky laughed. 

”Perfection,” Nicky clarified. He reached out to push them carefully back. It was truly longer than it had been in some time. 

“Thank you, amore mio,”’Joe murmured, leaning in and kissing him, large hand curling around the back of Nicky’s neck. “For taking care of me.” 

Nicky sighed softly and pressed his forehead to Joe’s. “Always,” he promised. “Until I truly breathe no more and even longer still. After.”

”Even after,” Joe agreed, climbing into Nicky’s lap now, smiling as their lips met again. 

“Wanton,” Nicky teased. 

“For you,” Joe said, smiling. “Only for you.” 

When he kissed Nicky this time it was deeper, longer. And Nicky, Nicky was more than willing to return the affections. 

**Author's Note:**

> My ex is black and had a million scalp issues. I spent years of my life helping to take care of his scalp and his hair but that is literally all I know, and it’s been a while. I just wanted to write softness and Joe’s curls getting love.


End file.
